(JUBA) – The South Sudan National Police Service has issued a strong call to end the use of customary courts for settling cases of sexual violence, warning that these traditional mechanisms deny survivors the justice they deserve and allow offenders to escape full accountability.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Lieutenant General Jal Thomas, spoke out during a delayed ceremony marking the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. He criticised the continued use of community based resolutions, such as compensation, to address crimes that have severe, lon -lasting effects on victims.
“These crimes have lifelong psychological impacts on victims. Yet, in our traditions, they are sometimes treated lightly and resolved under trees with compensation paid as if nothing happened,” Lt. Gen. Thomas stated.
He argued that allowing offenders to simply compensate victims, often through livestock or goods, sends the message that justice can be bought.
“We must revise these practices. Anyone who commits such crimes must face the law. Otherwise, it means those with more cattle can violate others and simply pay their way out,” he said.
In many rural parts of South Sudan, customary courts led by local chiefs still dominate the justice system. Sexual violence cases are frequently settled outside the formal legal process, with families accepting dowries or cattle as payment from perpetrators. In some instances, survivors are even pressured to marry their attackers.
This system, police say, undermines the seriousness of the crime and discourages survivors from seeking justice through the courts.
Major General Sadik Ismail, who leads the police committee on ending sexual violence, highlighted the efforts underway within the armed forces to address such abuses. He confirmed that higher disciplinary standards are now being enforced, particularly for military personnel accused of sexual offences.
“When such a crime occurs, we ask the local commander first. If he does not act, we hold him accountable as well,” Maj. Gen. Ismail said.
This policy marks a shift in how responsibility is distributed in the chain of command, aiming to eliminate impunity within the security forces.
The police leadership reaffirmed their commitment to ending gender-based violence and to ensuring that survivors receive full justice through the formal legal system. The goal, they said, is to eliminate the gaps created by outdated cultural practices and make certain that all sexual violence cases are handled within the framework of South Sudanese law.
The statement comes at a time when international and local pressure is mounting for South Sudan to strengthen its institutions for protecting women and girls from sexual abuse, especially in regions affected by conflict and displacement.
Rights groups and legal reform advocates in the country have welcomed the police’s position, calling it a necessary first step toward reform. They have urged lawmakers and local leaders to back these efforts by promoting legal awareness and expanding access to formal justice in remote areas.
